Bag tube and a method for manufacturing a deformable container

ABSTRACT

A plastic reinforcement engaging the end wall of a bag tube includes an outlet surrounded by an outwardly extending flange which has the same curvature as the end wall and extends. This construction stiffens the stiffens the end wall and reduces the risk of the tube tipping over which it is rested upside down on its cap.

[0001] The invention relates to a bag tube with a foil material whichforms an end-face wall and two lateral walls of the tube, wherein thelateral walls are connected to one another along two lateral edgesections, and with a shoulder piece which comprises a closable outletconnection piece and a flange which is fastened to the end-face wall andwhich is curved like the end-face wall.

[0002] It is often desirable to place upright such a bag tube with aclosure cap closing the opening of the shoulder piece directeddownwards. With this there exists the danger that the tube falls over,because the foil material deforms under the weight of the contents ofthe tube. The danger in particular exists when the foil material—in alikewise desirable manner—is formed thin, light and flexible.

[0003] An object of the invention lies in forming a bag tube of thepreviously mentioned type such that the previously outlined danger offalling over when the tube as indicated is placed on the head isreduced.

[0004] According to the invention the object is achieved in that theflange proceeding from the outlet connection piece outwardly extendsalong the end-face wall up to a middle region of each lateral wall andextends along the end-face wall in the direction of the two edgesections of the lateral walls.

[0005] Preferably there may be provided two tabs which proceed from theflange and bear on the middle region of the lateral walls. These offeradditionally a protection of the foil material against twisting ordamage when the tube is grasped in the region of the end-face wall forscrewing off or screwing on. In order to ensure a residual emptying ofthe tube these tabs advantageously are to be formed flexibly.

[0006] The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing adeformable container which is envisaged for accommodating a pastyproduct, specifically to a method according to the preamble of patentclaim 7.

[0007] For packaging pasty products such as mustard, mayonnaise,toothpaste as well as cream-like cosmetic and medical products above allaluminium, laminate and plastic tubes are used.

[0008] Known aluminium tubes are generally cylindrical and have at oneend-face end a conical end-face with an outlet connection piece whichcan be closed with a screw top. The method for manufacturing aluminiumtubes is work intensive and cost intensive. Thus aluminium tubes arepremanufactured with the impact extrusion method from an aluminiumcircular blank on a first varnishing machine are varnished on the innerside, by way of a pressure machine are pressed to the outside and on asecond varnishing machine are varnished over on the outside. By way of afurther device then the closure top is screwed onto the premanufacturedtubes.

[0009] With the manufacture of such known tubes the ends of the tubes,which face the closure top, are left open. On filling the tubes thepasty product is filled in through this open end, whereupon the tube isthen completely closed.

[0010] Since the tubes and the pasty products to be filled are usuallymanufactured in different manufacturing plants, the premanufacturedempty tubes must be packaged and transported from the tube manufacturerto the product manufacturer, where they are then filled with thecorresponding product and closed. At the tube manufacturer as well asalso at the product manufacturer storage rooms are therefore requiredfor the intermediate storage of the empty tubes ready for filling. Theintermediate storage as well as also the transport from the tubemanufacturer to the filling plant of the product manufacturer isconsiderably disadvantageous for the economics of the tube manufacture.Added to this is the fact that on storage and transporting the emptytubes which are opened at the end-face, contaminations may not be beprevented from getting into the empty tubes, which then in many casesrenders necessary the prior provision of additional cleaning andsterilisation procedures in the production operation of the productmanufacturer.

[0011] In a very similar manner the already known plastic tubes aremanufactured. With this tubing blanks are manufactured which insubsequent machines are printed, varnished and subsequently providedwith a closure body. These tubes too are open likewise on one side andare intermediately stored at the tube manufacturer as well as also atthe product manufacturer.

[0012] From the European Patent specification 0'041'924 there is known aflexible container which can be manufactured and filled in a continousmethod, thus may be completed ready for sale at only one plant. Thisknown tube-like container comprise a tube body which is manufacturedfrom a one-piece foil and which on its folded end-face side is providedwith an outlet and has two walls which have an essentially rectangularoutline, are welded to one another at three sides and are located onvarious sides of a plane of symmetry running through the tubelongitudinal axis.

[0013] With a method which has the the manufacture of the container aswell as also the filling procedure as the subject-matter, in particularthe filling of the containers determines the cycle for the wholeproduction. The containers must be manufactured as quickly as theproduct may be filled. Thus the method steps welding, cutting to shape,welding-on of the outlet connection piece and placing on the closuretop, must be effected in the same cycle number as the filling of thepremanufactured containers. Difficulties in maintaining the methodparameters or delays in the cycle frequency then occur when the outletconnection piece for reasons of manufacturing technology may only bewelded from one side as roughly is the case with the method known fromfrom EPB 0 041 924. Thus in this method the outlet connection piece fromthe inner side is placed into an opening of the premanufactured tubebody and is welded to the foil from the outer side. This weldingprocedure with this delays the filling output and has the result thatthe manufacturing and filling capacity is reduced.

[0014] The invention also deals with the further object of providing anew method for manufacturing a deformable container which not only makespossible the manufacture of the container but also the simultaneousfilling from continuously prepared containers and which does not havethe disadvantages of the previously described manufacturing methods.

[0015] Proceeding from the European Patent document 0'041'924 thisobject is achieved by the features of patent claim 7.

[0016] The invention further relates to a new-type, deformablecontainer, manufacturable according to the method of claim 7,specifically a container with the features of claim 14.

[0017] Advantageous embodiment forms of the method and of the containerare the subject-matter of the dependent claims 8 to 13 or 15 and 16.

[0018] The new-type method according to the invention is essentiallycharacterised by the fact that in only one working process fromhigh-quality foil material a container is formed, filled with a pastyproduct, closed and subsequently packaged.

[0019] The method according to the invention has big advantages. It isinexpensive, simple in logistics and product preparation as well able tobe used in every filling plant without giving it a second thought. Themanufacturing costs are furthermore also relatively small since thecontainers are formed in simple steps and as such do not need to bepremanufactured and intermediately stored. The containers may thus bedirectly manufactured in the plant of the product manufacturer or at payfillers.

[0020] The containers which may be manufactured by the method accordingto the invention consists of a flexible one-layered foil material butalso of a likewise flexible multi-layered compound material of plastic,aluminium and/or paper. Thus for example it may be the case of athree-layered, foil-like compound material consisting of polyester,aluminium and polypropylene or polyester, aluminium and polyethylene,wherein then the polyester forms the outer layer, the aluminium themiddle layer and the polypropylene or the polyethylene the inner layerof the container.

[0021] The subject-matter of the invention is now described in moredetail by way of embodiment examples shown in the drawings. In thedrawings there are shown:

[0022]FIG. 1 a plan view of the wide side of a deformable container withan applied closure body,

[0023]FIG. 2 a plan view of the end on the outlet side of the containerin the arrow direction 11 of FIG. 1,

[0024]FIG. 3 a plan view of a foil blank consisting of foil parts lyingover one another,

[0025]FIG. 4 an enlarged view of the blank IV of FIG. 3,

[0026]FIG. 5 a section through the closure top shown in FIG. 1, in anenlarged scale,

[0027]FIG. 6 a section through the outlet connection piece envisaged forreceiving the closure top,

[0028]FIG. 7 a section through the closure body formed of the closuretop and the outlet connection piece,

[0029]FIG. 8 a section along the line VIII of FIG. 3 with a fasteningconnection piece which is introduced in the longidinal direction andenvisaged for receiving the closure body,

[0030]FIG. 9 the connection pieces of FIG. 8 in the applied condition,

[0031]FIG. 10 a section through the closure of the container shown inFIG. 1, which is formed by the closure body and the fastening connectionpiece,

[0032]FIG. 11 a lateral view of a bag tube,

[0033]FIG. 12 a section according to line 12-12 in FIG. 11,

[0034]FIG. 13 in an enlarged scale a plan view of the bag tube of FIGS.11 and 12,

[0035]FIG. 14 a shoulder piece of the bag tube in the section accordingto line 14-14 in FIG. 13 and

[0036]FIG. 15 the shoulder piece in a section according to line 15-15 inFIG. 13.

[0037] The deformable container which is shown in the FIGS. 1 and 2 andis indicated in its entirety at 1 comprises a tubing body 2 with anend-face side 3 which for its part is provided with an outletopening-yet to be described in more detail—which can be closed by aclosure body 4.

[0038] The tubing body 2 for its part has two walls 5 and 6 which havean essentially rectangular outline, are located on various sides of aplane 8 running through the longitudinal axis 7 and with respect to thisplane 8 are mirror-symmetrical to one another. The two walls 5 and 6, onsides distant to one another, in each case comprise a strip-shaped edgesection 5 a and 6 a and at their end distant to the outlet in each casea likewise strip-shaped transverse section (of which only the section 5b of the wall 5 is drawn visible). The edge sections of the two walls 5and 6 bear on one another in pairs and are welded to one another. Aswill yet be explained in more detail, the two walls 5 and 6 togetherwith a middle section 9 connecting them consist of a one-piece,foil-like compound material consisting of three layers of polyester,aluminium and polypropylene connected to one another.

[0039] The end-face side 3 of the tubing body 2, which comprises theoutlet opening is formed essentially by the mentioned middle section 9.On this there is arranged an outlet connection piece of plastic whichwill yet be described in more detail which as part of the closure body 4amongst other things for the protection of the end-face edges 9 a isprovided with protective tabs 10 covering the walls 5 and 6 and forreinforcing the end-face side 3 is provided with lateral shouldersupports 11.

[0040] In the outline projected parallel to the axis 7, shown in FIG. 2,the middle section 9 has essentially the shape of a convex lens, whereinthe acute angled edges of the lateral edges 5 a, 6 a running out in theend-face region 3 project in a winged-manner over the outlet opening 12of the container, which is shown in FIG. 3 and provided in the middlesection 9. In the view shown in FIG. 1 thus the middle section isindented and adheres on both sides of the symmetry plane 8 via theend-face edge 9 a to in each case one of the two walls 5 and 6. In theregions of the edges 5 a and 6 a the two end-face edges 9 a unite to asingle folding edge lying in the plane of symmetry 8.

[0041] For manufacturing the container represented in FIGS. 1 and 2 in afirst method step a foil or compound material subject, whose width isdouble the length of the tubing body 2, is drawn over a wedge and isfolded along the subject longitudinal axis into two equal halves, fromwhich then the two walls 5 and 6 of the tubing body 2 are formed. Thefoil or compound material subject may with this for example be wound offfrom a tape roller, wherein then as will yet be explained only in analready advanced method phase is the premanufactured tubing bodyseparated from the tape material or from the foil or compound materialsubject.

[0042] In a second method step the folded foil or compound materialsubject, preferably wound off from a tape roller, is divided into foilsections envisaged for the manufacture of individual containers. Forthis the subject tape by way of a transport device is transportedfurther in steps by in each case one width of the tubing body 2 to beformed, the longidutinal edge of the double-layered subject, which isformed by the fold, is begun to be cut in constant distancestransversely to the transport direction and between in each case twosuch incisions in each case an outlet opening 12 is punched out.Subsequently the end-face corners of the containers to be manufactured,which are formed by the incisions, are folded over inwardly, the twohalves of the foil section prepared by the cutting beginning, which bearon one another, are welded transversely to the longitudinal directionand the thus formed tubing body 2 is separated from the remaining partof the tape by way of a cutting tool so that a foil blank of the shaperepresented in FIG. 3 arises.

[0043] The folding of the two end-face corners about the angle a (FIG.4) which is 5° to 90°, for example 45° not only results in astrengthening of the edges of the container in this region. By way ofthe formation of the folds furthermore sharp-edged corners are avoided,which may injure the user given a negligent handling or may damage thecarrier bags serving to accommodate the container 1.

[0044] In a further method step, which for example runs parallel to thepreviously described second method step, the closure body 4 shown inFIG. 7 is prepared. This in the case present here consists of thealready above mentioned outlet connection piece 14 (FIG. 6) and of aclosure top (FIG. 5), wherein the latter with its inner thread 16 isscrewed onto the threaded part 13 of the outlet connection piece 14. Asone may particularly see from FIG. 6 the outlet connection piece 14 isstill provided with the already previously mentioned protective tabs 10and shoulder supports 11 and is dimensioned and closable with theclosure top having a plane end-face surface such that the container tobe manufactured has a sufficiently high standing stability and may beplaced upright as a standing container.

[0045] Subsequent to the above method steps a fastening connection piece17 in the direction of the arrow is led through the blank of the tubingbody 2, which is shown in FIG. 8 and is already opened out and iswelded, adhesed and/or pressed on the end-face side end of the tubingbody, thus on the middle section 9, for which the fastening connectionpiece 17 in particular is provided with an annular collar 18 which withthe middle section 9 assumes the desired connection. As one canrecognise from FIG. 9 the neck 19 of the fastening connection piece 17,which is envisaged for receiving the closure body 4, in the fastenedcondition, penetrates the outlet opening 12 of the tubing body blank andprojects out of this. For the optimal connection of the fasteningconnection piece 17 and middle section 9 the collar 18 may yetadditionally be provided with annularly arranged ribs 20 tapering to apoint.

[0046] After pressing the closure body 4 on the fastening connectionpiece 17 by way of which in particular the foil piece forming the middlesection 9 is tensioned in between the fastening connection piece 17 andthe outlet connection piece 14, the pasty product is filled into thetubing body 2 through the opening of the mentioned blank, which liesopposite the end-face side 3 and which in the course of productionpreferably faces upwards. Subsequently the still remaining opening ofthe tubing body 2 is closed and welded, and the thus manufactured andfilled container is directly led further to a package belt envisaged forthe end packaging.

[0047] For removing the product from the container 1 according to theinvention the closure top 15 is removed and then the tubing body 2 ispressed together beginning from the wide-side end. The material formingthe tubing body 2 is preferably deformable in an elastic and inparticular plastic manner such that this after pressing out a part ofthe product it essentially retains its pressed-together shape by way ofthe so-called “restoring effect” and does not aspirate any air throughthe outlet connection piece 14.

[0048] Concluding it is yet to be noted that the containers which can bemanufactured by the above mentioned method may be formed in differentways and therefore may differ from the drawn embodiment example. Thusthe container instead of a rectangular outline shape may also have adifferent outline shape. Also the dimensions and proportions of thecontainers may vary within large limits. Finally yet also the closuretop may be formed in different ways and for example have the shape of aball or of a polyhedron.

[0049] The bag tube shown in the FIGS. 11 to 13 has two lateral walls111 and 112 and an end-face wall 113 which are all formed by one pieceof foil material. The foil material is preferably thin, light andflexible. It may be a simple plastic foil or also a laminate. At leastthe side of the foil material, which faces the inside of the tube, mayconsist of weldable plastic. The two lateral walls 111 and 112 aresealingly connected to one another, in particular welded, along twolateral edge sections 114 and 115 and along an end edge section 116.

[0050] On the end-face wall 113 there is fastened a shoulder piece whichhas a closable opening in the form of an outlet connection piece 117.The shoulder piece consists preferably of a weldable plastic. From theoutlet connection piece 117 there proceeds a flange 118 which is curvedjust as the end-face wall 113. The flange 118 bears on the inside on theend-face wall 113 and is sealingly fastened thereto, preferably rigidlywelded.

[0051] The flange 118 extends, proceeding from the outlet connectionpiece 117, up to in each case a middle region of each lateral wall 111,112, to the outside. This middle region of each lateral wall has, asshown in FIG. 13, a width c which is at least equal to 20%, preferablyat least 30% of the whole width d of each lateral wall 111, 112 betweenthe lateral edge sections 114 and 115. The flange 118 which extendsoutwards along the end-face wall 113 up to the upper ends of the lateralwalls 111 and 112 serves the stiffening of the end-face wall 113 and byway of this the reduction of the danger that the tube may fall over whenit is placed directed downwards with a closure cap (not shown) screwedonto the outlet connection piece 117.

[0052] For the same purpose the flange 118 comprises two supports 119,120 which are fastened to the end-face wall which extend in thedirection towards the two lateral edge sections 114 and 115 of thelateral walls 111, 112. The two supports 119 and 120 extend preferablyuntil a distance a (FIG. 13) towards the lateral edge sections 114 or115, which at the most is equal to 20%, preferably at the most 10% ofthe distance b between the lateral edge sections measured at theend-face wall 113.

[0053] The flange 118 may however also at the edges of the end-face wall113 comprise two tabs 121 and 122 which are bent at right angles and runparallel to the lateral walls 111 and 112. The tabs 121 and 122 stiffenthe middle regions of the lateral walls 111 and 112, which neighbour theend-face wall. At the same time they protect the foil material againsttwisting and/or damage when the tube for screwing a closure cap (notshown) off of the outlet connection piece 117 is held by a hand in thementioned regions of the lateral walls. On the other hand the tabs 121and 122 in order not to hinder the complete pressing out of the tube,are preferably more flexible than the remaining parts of the flange 118.For example the tabs 121, 122 have a smaller wall thickness than theremaining parts of the flange 118.

1. A bag tube, with a foil material which forms an end-face wall (113)and two lateral walls (111, 112) of the tube, wherein the lateral wallsalong two lateral edge sections (114, 115) are connected to one another,and with a shoulder piece which comprises a closable outlet connectionpiece (117) and a flange (118) which is fastened on the end-face wall(113) and is curved like the end-face wall, characterised in that theflange (118) proceeding from the outlet connection piece (117) outwardlyextends along the end-face wall (113) up to a middle region of eachlateral wall (111, 112) and extends along the end-face wall (113) in thedirection of the two edge sections (114, 115) of the lateral walls (111,112).
 2. A bag tube according to claim 1, characterised in that thementioned middle region of each lateral wall (111, 112) has a width (c)which is at least equal to 20% of the whole width (d) of the lateralwall between the lateral edge sections (114, 115).
 3. A bag tubeaccording to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the flange (118)comprises at least two protruding tabs (121, 122) bearing on the foilmaterial, for reinforcing the foil material.
 4. A bag tube according toclaim 1, characterised in that the flange (118) extends to the lateraledge sections (114, 115) up to a distance (a) from these sections, whichat the most is equal to 20%, preferably at the most 10% of the distance(b) between the lateral edge sections (114, 115) measured at theend-face wall (113).
 5. A bag tube according to claim 3, characterisedin that the flange (118) comprises two tabs (121, 122) bearing on themiddle regions of the lateral walls (111, 112).
 6. A bag tube accordingto claim 5, characterised in that the tabs (121, 122) bearing on thelateral walls (111, 112) are more flexible than the remaining parts ofthe flange (118).
 7. A method for manufacturing a deformable container(1) serving the accommodation of a pasty product, with two walls (5, 6)and with an end-face side (3) having an outlet, wherein a foil orcomposite material subject is folded along one axis, the subjectsections which bear on one another after the folding are connected toone another on the edge side, on opening out the thus manufacturedtubing body (2) from the transverse section comprising the fold thereare formed two end-face edges (9 a) which for their part limit asurface-like middle section (9) forming the end-face side (3), and onthe end-face side (3) there is applied a closure body (4), the pastyproduct is filled through an opening lying opposite the end-face side(3) into the opened out tubing body (2) and the mentioned opening afterfilling with the product is closed, characterised in that out of thetransverse section comprising the fold and envisaged for forming theend-face side (3) there is punched an outlet opening (12) and the twosubject sections are welded to one another along two lateral edges (5 a,6 a) facing one another, that in the opened out condition of the thusformed tubing body (2) through the opening lying opposite the end-faceside (3) a fastening connection piece (17) is introduced into the tubingbody (2), with the connection piece neck (19) is pushed through theoutlet opening (12) and is fastened to the inner side of the middlesection (9), that then a closure body (4) consisting of an outletconnection piece (14) and of a closure top (15) is placed onto the neck(19) of the fastening connection piece (17), which protrudes from thetubing body (2), such that the middle section (9) is tensioned betweenthe fastening connection piece (17) and the outlet connection piece(14), and that the pasty product is filled into the tubing body (2)through the mentioned opening which in the course of productionpreferably faces upwards, and then this opening is closed and welded. 8.A method according to claim 7, characterised in that the completed andfilled container (1) is led further directly to a packaging beltenvisaged for the final packaging.
 9. A method according to one of theclaim 7 or 8, wherein the fastening connection piece (17) is providedwith an annular collar (18), characterised in that the fasteningconnection piece (17) with its collar (18) is welded, adhesed and/orpressed on the inner side of the middle section (9).
 10. A methodaccording to one of the claims 7 to 9, characterised in that the foil orcomposite material subject whose width is double as long as the lengthof the tubing body (2), is wound off from a tape roller, is pulled overa wedge and is folded into two equal halves along the tape longitudinalaxis, from which then the two walls (5, 6) of the tubing body (2) areformed.
 11. A method according to claim 10, characterised in that thefoil or composite material subject is divided into subject sectionsenvisaged for the manufacture of individual containers and for this insteps is transported in each case by one width of the tubing body (2) tobe formed, the longitudinal edge of the double-layered subject, which isformed by the fold, is begun to be cut in constant distancestransversely to the transport direction and between in each case twosuch incisions in each case an outlet opening (12) is punched out.
 12. Amethod according to claim 10 or 11, characterised in that the tubingbody (2) before the filling of the pasty product is separated from theremaining part of the tape.
 13. A method according to one of claims 7 to12, characterised in that the corners of the end-face side part of thetubing body (2) are folded over inwardly.
 14. A container manufacturedaccording to the method according to one of the claims 7 to 13,characterised by two walls (5, 6) which can be pressed together and anend-face side (3) comprising an outlet, wherein the two walls (5, 6) aretighly connected to one another at two lateral edges (5 a, 6 a) lyingopposite one another and at a transverse edge (5 b) lying opposite theend-face side (3) and consist of a one-piece subject and wherein on theend-face side (3) likewise formed by the mentioned subject there isarranged a closure body (4) seated on a fastening connection piece (17)which on the end-face side penetrates the subject.
 15. A containeraccording to claim 14, characterised in that the corners of the end-faceside part of the tubing body (2) are folded and that each corner isfolded over by 5° to 90°.
 16. A container according to claim 14 or 15,characterised in that the closure body (4) for the protection of theend-face edges (9 a) are provided with protective tabs (10) coveringover the walls (5, 6).